I wouldn't go cruising without my dog. The first season, when he was still a pup, he could be coaxed into using an Astroturf pad on the foredeck. Not for the last two seasons, though. So...I try to keep the daily sails at 8 hours maximum. I take him ashore every evening. He willingly jumps into the dinghy on command, for obvious reasons.

He's actually a miniature Australian Shepherd. He only weighs 38 lbs. I guess the fact that he's in the foreground in that photo makes him look larger in proportion to that skinny old ugly guy behind the wheel.

I also have a Aussie, Bella requires a walkabout in the morning & another in the evening. She was born deaf & mostly blind so I follow her around holding her leash. Great exercise for both of us because it's usually a long walk to find that perfect spot. I think she likes being on the boat better because it's smaller & not far for me to go & for her to find me. When I run from the bridge she'll lay asleep on the settee other times she has to be where I'am at, I have to watch my step in the galley because I may drop something & she wants to make sure that she doesn't miss anything. She does try to crowd me out of the berth at times tho.

Is a sailboat good for living aboard with dogs? It seems like a powerboat/convertable with the back deck area would be better for them to get out a bit and easy to rinse down if they do their business on the deck,...Would a 42' or so sailboat have room for them to this also,...and would it be easy to rinse down,...We have a Lab, Beagle, and Chihuahua,...we would much rather a sailboat

I've thought the same thing. And getting one with fairly high bulwarks all the way forward would help to prevent loosing a dog too. They slip alot on fiberglass decks. 3 would be hard to keep track of. Everytime I went forward on my little Trawler, one or two just HAD to follow me up there even though I had narrow side decks. I would have felt a lot better with high bulwarks... that way I could let them run around the boat without supervision. Easier to get them from the cabin to the deck with a powerboat too.

__________________"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard

Thank you. Captain Jack is quite a character. He makes me friends where ever we go. I would not go without him.

He does have a nickname of Houndini as he kept escaping off the boat in the marina to find me. I put the black netting all around the boat except the bow and stern. I also have a low clip on in the cockpit to keep him safe while sailing. He does not go forward if it is rough.

Some other cruisers had to send their dog home to family, because he tried to jump in the water all the time. They had to go in the water for repairs and one of them had to restrain the dog. The dog jumped off the boat to rescue a plastic bag, so it was man over board.

I understand why some people want to have a dog onboard. Dogs are wonderful and loyal companions. A cruising friend's wonderful and loyal companion (with an obvious intestinal problem) crapped on the deck of my boat.

As much as I like dogs, I do not like crap. Crap, whether it is from a dog or a human, is still crap. Shi**ing on deck is not generally a socially acceptable practice.

My innate belief in good health and hygiene would prevent me from having any onboard mammal, human or otherwise, which as a matter of course thought it normal to dump or squirt on my deck, in my dinghy, cockpit, carpet or anywhere else except in the dunny.

Location: Branched Oak Yacht Club, Wife is an Admiral in the Nebraska Navy

Boat: Clipper Marine 32 CC Aft Cabin Ketch

Posts: 1,211

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auzzee

I understand why some people want to have a dog onboard. Dogs are wonderful and loyal companions. A cruising friend's wonderful and loyal companion (with an obvious intestinal problem) crapped on the deck of my boat.

As much as I like dogs, I do not like crap. Crap, whether it is from a dog or a human, is still crap. Shi**ing on deck is not generally a socially acceptable practice.

My innate belief in good health and hygiene would prevent me from having any onboard mammal, human or otherwise, which as a matter of course thought it normal to dump or squirt on my deck, in my dinghy, cockpit, carpet or anywhere else except in the dunny.